i give thanks for your existence
by intensecomplexity
Summary: You're the work of God, a fatal mistake (masterpiece) I give thanks for your existence Singing hallelujah, you got me singing hallelujah - hallelujah by Jonghyun - What do you do when someone comes into your life and changes it for the better?
1. Chapter 1

It was almost out of this world.

It was too beautiful to be _real_.

Emily and JJ walked into the academy surprised to see how traditionally decorated it was. It was reminiscent of an old castle, something JJ made akin to Harry Potter. There was no doubt that the students enrolled there were from wealthy families based on how prestigious the academy appeared. Upholding the architecture and cleanliness of the grounds clearly needed extensive funds. Given their current case, they knew the person they were looking for had such funds to be enrolled in such a place.

The two agents made their way through the front hallway and saw the sign pointing to the office. They were about to turn a corner when they saw a wall of awards, trophies and memorabilia on a wall. The academy took pride in its sports and education and displayed it for _everyone_ to see.

"Can I help you?" a voice sternly asked, catching the two's attention.

Both Emily and JJ turned to the sound of the voice and saw an older woman with blonde, loosely curled hair appear near them. They could _feel_ rather than see the fiery aura, and possibly personality, the woman had and knew she was someone with authority in the academy. She also didn't look like she was interested in continuing to have their presence there with how her arms were folded in front of her. The older of the two agents stepped forward and cleared her throat.

"We're here looking for a student; Serenity Song. We'd like to go to the office and inquire for her," Emily calmly answered, hoping it would ease the woman's defenses, but it seemed to only heighten it. The moment she mentioned the student's name, it looked like the woman was ready to fight them, or at least call whatever security was in place to take them away.

"What _business_ do you have with my students?" the woman questioned back with a snarl in her voice. It was evident that she would not give up Serenity Song without an appropriate reason.

That could be changed.

Emily looked over at JJ and they both pulled out their FBI badges, presenting them. They watched as the woman scanned them over, only to look back at them appearing more defensive than before.

"Come with me to my office," the woman pointedly said.

The two agents put away their badges and followed the woman through the hallways into the lobby of the reception area of the front desk for the office. They went past the desk and immediately received and apologetic look from the secretary as they approached the door that read 'Principal' on it.

Of course, they _would _have the luck of talking to the principal without knowing it.

The principal opened the door, allowed them in, closed it shut, and turned to the agents with a fierce look on her face.

"What does the FBI want with _my_ student?" the woman promptly asked. There was hostility in her voice, but there was a hint of protectiveness that didn't go unnoticed by either agent.

"We only have a few questions to ask…" JJ paused to look around the office and saw the nameplate on the large wood desk. "Ms. Grant."

"About _what_ exactly?" Ms. Grant questioned back. "Should I call her family?" she added, more so out of anger than concern.

"It would be best if we could talk to her soon about what's going on because it concerns her family. If you could please let us see her, then this will be over as soon as possible." Emily raised her brows and hoped her soft tone would be enough to get through the principal. It did its job when the other woman narrowed her eyes and glared at her.

"One wrong move, _agents_, and I'll make sure you face a lawsuit that will end your careers," the principal stated as she opened the door again. "Sit down and do _not_ touch anything."

Emily and JJ didn't have a chance to reply when the woman walked out with a good solid shut of the door behind her. They sat on the sofa meant for visitors and started looking around the office, automatically analyzing the principal based on the room.

"Definitely not the kind of principal I had when I grew up," JJ stated as she read the nameplate again. She didn't have to when Garcia had pulled up the information on the academy before they arrived.

Principal – Cat Grant.

"I had the strict ones, but none of them were as protective as her," Emily replied back. She saw how orderly everything was in the room, but one thing caught her eye that sat on Cat's desk in plain sight. Perhaps not in direct sight of others, but it was in plain sight—a picture of Serenity Song.

How interesting.

"She was getting really pent up."

"Yes; you would've thought we were here to see her daughter," Emily answered with an intrigued tone in her voice. She thought back to what Garcia said when she pulled up all the information on Serenity Song and remembered the girl wasn't related to Cat Grant, but it was clear they had a strong bond. That _picture_ was evidence of that.

"Are we doing the right thing coming here to see her while the rest of the team goes to her family?" JJ questioned, turning to the older agent.

Emily bit the inside of her cheek because that was her call. She released her cheek as she turned to meet the blonde. "We needed to talk to them separately before they could come together and corroborate on a story. We're meeting with Serenity first before the rest of the does anything, anyway. All we have to do is _do this_ quickly, but thoroughly."

JJ nodded, but it was obvious that something was nagging at her. "Is it fair to be asking her of this?"

Emily stayed silent and turned away. How was she supposed to answer that? How would she answer a question regarding a teenager to her friend who had children of her own? She didn't know, and no amount of empathy would be able to help her give a _right_ answer. All she could do was reach out and place a hand on JJ's knee, gently squeezing it.

She didn't have to stay silent for too long when the door opened and Cat returned with a tall dark-haired girl in a black and red uniform, carrying a backpack. She and JJ stood up at their arrival, only to receive another glare from the principal. That was a warning.

"I'll leave you three alone," Cat started, "but if you decide to leave the grounds with her, you tell _me_ first, understood?"

The three of them nodded as the door closed once more, but this time with a gentle shut.

Now that Serenity Song was with them, she was looking at them with curiosity. Emily motioned for the girl to sit down in the chair across from them. Once she was seated, she and JJ took their seats again and smiled.

"Hello, Serenity, we're Agents Emily Prentiss and Jennifer Jareau from the FBI and we'd like to talk to you for a few minutes," Emily introduced as she pulled out her badge for the girl to see. She could see from her periphery that JJ did the same. She saw the girl's curiosity turn into a subtle fear. What that fear was of, she wasn't sure, yet.

"Hello, what can I do for you?" The girl's posture was rigid and far from relaxed now. How well was she going to cooperate? "Did I do something wrong?"

"Not that we're aware of," Emily answered, pulling a small baggie with a piece of paper inside from the pocket of her blazer. "We were wondering if you recognized this symbol." She placed it onto the coffee table and passed it over to Serenity to see.

The girl looked it over while the agents looked over her. Emily and JJ could see that Serenity recognized it and it was clear in the girl's eyes just how familiar she was with it.

"Yes, it was my dad's tattoo," Serenity answered, returning the item across the table. "What is this related to?"

"We're investigating the current string of bombings and robberies taking place. They all had that symbol left behind as a crime signature," JJ answered with some reluctancy, taking the baggie and handing it to Emily. She looked at the teenager and saw the intense fear in her face.

"You think I might have had something to _do_ with this?" The girl looked at them with wide, disturbed eyes.

"No, but we believe—" Emily stopped talking as a cellphone started to go off. All eyes went to Serenity and she, too, looked surprised at the sound. The girl quickly fished her phone out of her backpack, unsure as to why it was ringing.

"Hello? What?! Wha—Leo? _Leo_!"

Emily furrowed her brow when she heard the name. Leo—Leonardo Robertson—was Serenity's brother; why was he calling her during school hours? Why did Serenity look rattled?

"What game are you playing at?!" Serenity exclaimed, standing from her chair and pointing at the two agents.

"What are you talking about?" JJ asked, taking to her feet in confusion. "We aren't playing games, Serenity; we're here to talk."

"To talk or distract me while you went after the rest of my family?" Serenity shot back in frustration. "My brother called and he just said that my mother and sisters were just arrested."

Emily pulled out her phone as it immediately vibrated in her pocket during their conversation. She saw a text message from Garcia. The team was standing off at the Robertson household.

"JJ, we have to go—" she started, ready to walk away only to stop when Serenity blocked her way. She looked up at the taller girl and pursed her lips. "Serenity…"

"No, you do not get to come here and just leave like this. I am going with you! This does _not happen_ while I get left in the dark," Serenity firmly stated, silently challenging the older agent. She refused to be left behind while her family was being taken away.

Emily took all of three seconds to determine if it was a good idea and it led her to one answer, "Let your principal know you're coming with us."

"Wait, she's _what_?" JJ asked in utter disbelief.

Emily watched as Serenity gathered her backpack and start to leave without them. She turned to JJ and nodded without a doubt in her decision. "She'll stop the standoff."

"And you're _sure_ about that?"

"I'm only as sure as the next person," Emily answered, following after the girl.

* * *

It took one clipped explanation from Serenity for Cat to allow them to leave all together. It took all of JJ's willpower to not question Emily's judgment before they returned to their SUV. She had no clue why Emily would allow such a call, especially one that involved a minor.

Hotch may have done the same, but this was a different situation. Hotch was no longer chief and their minor was a genius. Perhaps, it was maternal instinct that nagged at her conscience. All she knew was that her heart raced at the idea of bringing Serenity to a possibly dangerous situation.

If something were to happen, how would she let herself be okay in the end? How would she let Emily get away with the calls she'd made so far? Could she forgive Emily if something occurred?

"If something happens to my family, I won't forgive you!" Serenity called out.

If something _did _happen, could Serenity ever forgive them?

Could they forgive themselves?


	2. Chapter 2

Tension filled the SUV as they arrived to the Robertson household. JJ pulled out her gun, so did Emily, and told Serenity to stay put in the vehicle while they scouted out the situation. She had no idea what to expect and hoped Emily's decision to bring Serenity along wouldn't jeopardize whatever was happening at that very moment.

They went through the house to find it clear and saw the backdoor open. They heard voices in the backyard and with Emily leading the way, made their way there. They found the rest of the team with the police surrounding whom they realized was Leonardo Robertson backed against a huge oak tree. They went in with their guns pointed at the man and saw him pointing his gun at them.

"Leo, what in fresh hell are you doing?!"

So much for having Serenity stay in the SUV.

JJ looked over her shoulder and found the teenager right behind her with disbelief covering her face. She turned back to Leo and saw him flinch at the question. Or could it have been simply from the sight and sound of Serenity?

"Serena—they just appeared and I freaked out when they arrested everyone," Leo answered back, still holding his gun firmly in his hand.

"So, you decided to do this?" Serenity questioned.

JJ could see Emily step forward out of her periphery and raise her hands.

"Leo, look at _me_," the unit chief called out. "My name is Emily and I'm going to put my gun away. Just look at me and let's talk, okay? You don't need to panic."

JJ saw Leo's eyes were on Emily, but she didn't realize someone else's eyes were on the woman as well. As soon as Emily was about to holster her gun, it was snatched out of her grasp.

"Serenity!" she called out in absolute shock. She watched as the girl moved to the front lines, holding the gun expertly at her brother with no doubt in her posture. Her eyes widened when she saw Leo reflexively move at the sudden action, leading him to point his gun at his sister.

"Are you _trying_ to make me shoot you?!" Leo shouted in panic and worry.

"Are you _trying_ to get yourself killed?" Serenity asked back just as loud.

JJ saw Emily try to approach the girl, but noticed that Leo saw it, too. His gun wavered ever so slightly in Emily's direction and it made her tighten her hold on her own gun. One wrong move and a shot would be fired.

From whose gun?

_I won't forgive you!_

JJ winced at the sound of Serenity's voice in her head.

"If you're going to do something hasty, Leonardo, then so am I," Serenity said, still holding Emily's gun. "Now, would you like to put your gun down and talk like civilized people?"

JJ turned to Emily and wished she had a better clue on how to approach the situation. She wished _Emily_ would do something about the situation at hand. Every time she heard someone call for a clear shot, Emily would deny every single one of it. Things took a dangerous turn; something had to change.

"What are we doing, Emily? This is dangerous," she softly called out to the unit chief.

"We let them talk it out and intervene when we need to," Emily answered back just as quietly.

The younger agent looked around the backyard and saw all of the guns drawn. There were a dozen guns drawn between the team and the police. This was a serious situation and as much as she trusted Emily, this was something a unit chief might regret allowing.

"You're still a child, Serena; put the gun down!"

JJ swallowed at Leo's works and looked at Serenity's uniformed back. The man was right. According to what Garcia pulled up, Serenity was only sixteen, but a graduating student at the academy. She was a brilliant student, but she was still a _child_ and this _child_ looked far too familiar with having a gun in her grasp. It wasn't right.

"It was you and dad who taught me how to use a gun!" Serenity retorted back. "This is the last time I'm saying it; put the down so we can talk. This isn't a game, Leo!"

"I _know_, but I can't let go—I _can't_!" Leo exclaimed, visibly distressed.

"Can't or won't?" Serenity questioned. "_Leo_, dad wouldn't want us to be doing this! Don't do something we'll both regret!"

"Emily…" JJ called out in concern. The two were headed toward the tipping point.

"Not yet, JJ."

_Not yet?_

JJ couldn't believe her ears. Why were they not intervening, yet?

"Dad might not want us to be doing this, but he's the reason why we're doing this!"

"What are you talking about?" Serenity asked in confusion.

"Dad—He didn't mean to take your parents away," Leo promptly answered. "He did some bad things, but killing people was not something did! We didn't do whatever it is they told you!"

Things were escalating and JJ was more than worried. She looked at the unit chief and saw her remain unmoved. She couldn't keep quiet; something had to be done.

"Serenity, don't listen to him! Just put the gun down and Leo might do the same," JJ called out, but it fell on deaf ears.

"What are you talking about? My biological parents died in a car cr…ash," Serenity trailed off and her hold on Emily's gun loosened ever so slightly.

"Yes, he crashed into you, but he didn't mean it. It was horrible weather and he tried to save all of you, but he could only save you. Your parents made him promise to take care of you, so that's why we adopted you."

JJ could only imagine how Serenity's world was unravelling before her with this revelation. She could only imagine what kind of turmoil that was beginning to brew in the girl's mind. Was this supposed to be happening?

"We _fixed_ ourselves for _you_!" Leo explained.

"Then, why is all of this happening?! Why are the FBI arresting all of you?!" Serenity shouted back, incredulously.

"I don't _know_! Someone's copying us! We stopped years ago! You have to believe me! We may have done bad things in the past, but we have _never_ killed anyone!"

A confession.

Serenity gripped her gun and shook her head, saying evenly, "No one changes that easily."

Three shots were fired and JJ flinched when she realized it came from in front of her. It came from Serenity. She expected to see Leo down on the ground, needing immediate medical attention, but instead he was quickly scooped up into a net that led him to drop his gun. He was finally incapacitated.

JJ and Emily went in as soon as Serenity dropped her arms and began to stumble backwards. JJ caught the girl in her arms while Emily retrieved her gun, holstering it. The two looked at the girl and saw tears running down her face.

"You're okay, it's over," Emily softly said, placing a hand on Serenity's upper arm.

"The idiot was waiting for me to shoot the tree for the net, but I guess he wanted to say some things," Serenity quietly said as she tried to steady herself on her feet. She wiped her face free of tears and took a few deep breaths.

"JJ, keep an eye on her while I find out what's happening over there," Emily instructed, leaving the girl in the other agent's capable hands.

"The release is on the tree," Serenity called out as Emily walked away.

"You're okay, Serenity," JJ reassured.

"Am I? My family is going to be locked up and I have no one who'll take me in, so explain to me how I'll be okay," Serenity whispered back. "You heard my brother give an indirect confession, it's over for them."

"We'll figure something out, okay?"

They had to.

* * *

When they returned to the precinct, Emily and JJ brought Serenity with them. The girl was told to pack a bag of her belongings with the house now being investigated after Leo's partial confession in the backyard. The team continued to work on finding where the unsub would be and who the next target was, but Emily was fixed at the window of the conference room.

"I know that look," JJ softly commented, stepping in beside the unit chief to see where she was looking. This was not what she had in mind. "We can't do anything for her while we're on a case."

Emily pressed her lips tightly together and shook her head. "I have my ways, JJ."

"Emily…" the blonde warned.

It was too late. Emily Prentiss was walking out of the room as soon as a worker from Child Protective Services arrived and headed in Serenity's direction. She reached the girl first and intercepted the worker to introduce herself.

"Hello, I'm Supervisory Special Agent Emily Prentiss with the FBI," she said, extending a hand to the other man.

"Hello, I'm Paul Sears from Child Protective Services; here to see Serenity Song," Paul greeted with a smile, taking the woman's hand and firmly shaking it.

"I would like to discuss something with you regarding Serenity," Emily stated, earning a nod from the man.

"What is it, Agent Prentiss?"

"Can she stay with me for the time being?" Emily immediately asked, surprising Paul right off the bat, including Serenity. "I know I'm asking for a lot, but I would like to keep her in my stead while this case is going on should she be a target of what is happening."

Emily could see the hesitation on Paul's face and knew it was going to be a tough sell. The odds were generally against her favour, so only divine intervention could save her. She remained calm and knew she would have to rely on her negotiation skills, and possibly her connections, to get through this conversation.

"Agent Prentiss, there are protocols and procedures for this; I can't simply hand you a minor simply by request," Paul explained, waving a hand over at Serenity. "There are too many legalities involved.

"I'm willing to go through all of it to gain some kind of custody of her. We wouldn't want her getting caught further in this case," Emily stated with firm resolve. She could see him wavering and knew she was making ground.

"If you can find us a room to speak privately in, I can make something temporary work."

Emily turned around to the conference room and knew she needed everyone to leave.

* * *

JJ watched with great intent as Emily worked with the man from Child Protective Services and wondered why the woman was so keen on taking Serenity in. This was different from the case all those years ago when Emily wanted to take in another girl; Serenity wasn't a helpless young teenager.

"She knows what she's doing," Rossi stated, moving in by JJ as they looked into the conference room from further out in the precinct.

"Does she? We've only met Serenity today and it wasn't a great meeting. I'm honestly surprised Serenity isn't stopping her," JJ replied back, turning to the older man. She knew Emily to be poised and not to be so driven by her emotions, so this was quite unlike her.

What was going on?

"Emily isn't someone who will jump without a reason, so give her the benefit of the doubt with this one."

How could she do that when her decisions did not seem sound the entire day? From taking Serenity along to the standoff, to letting the standoff escalate, and now trying to take custody of Serenity? What was going through Emily's head?

She knew Emily had her reasons, but she couldn't shake off the feeling that maybe they weren't good enough reasons. Things moved so quickly and without significant thought, it began to bother her. She only hoped that Emily knew what she was doing and that she wasn't leaping head first without knowing where she was going to land.

"Do you think Serenity would stop her when everything she knew has been ripped out from under her?"

JJ looked at Rossi and began moving over to where Serenity was seated. She smiled at the girl and sat beside her.

"How are you holding up?" she asked.

"I guess I'm okay," Serenity started, "but is it okay for Emily to try and get custody of me when you're all still working? She said something like I might be a target in this case… Is that true?"

The agent looked over her shoulder to find Emily sparing glances at her every so often. Was that what she said?

"Oh, god, please don't tell me you're not on the same page," Serenity quietly said, attracting JJ's attention again. "I don't want her to get caught up in something bad if she takes me in."

JJ reached out and placed a hand Serenity's knee. "She's doing what's best for you and we have to respect that. For as long as I've known her, Emily Prentiss has a plan for everything, including you, even if it's impromptu."

She saw the concern on the girl's face and was worried she didn't believe her.

"I don't want anymore friction between you two," Serenity whispered, surprising JJ.

"What do you mean?"

Serenity blinked a few times at her. "You were questioning her decisions the entire time today. You must have pulled up information on me before meeting me, so you must know about my high IQ—I'm a genius, observant, and I have very clear hearing."

JJ chuckled and patted the girl's knee. "You're okay, Serenity; you're not creating _friction_," she said.

"Okay… if it changes, just… tell me. I don't want to be the cause of strain for her workplace relationships and relationships, in general."

The sincerity had JJ feeling guilty.

"You won't be… you won't be," that's what JJ tried to believe in.

* * *

"That's it."

Emily raised her brows and looked at Paul, then at her watch. It had been an hour. "That's it?"

"For now, at least," Paul said. "This is only for temporary custody, Agent Prentiss; we haven't looked at anything beyond that."

Emily nodded and stood as Paul did. "Thank you."

"Make due on your promise to protect her and we'll be good," Paul replied, extending a hand out.

"Understood," Emily said, taking the hand and firmly shaking it. She shook the worker's hand and took the copies of paperwork she signed, then made her way over to Serenity.

"You know, you didn't have to do that," Serenity softly said, looking up at the agent who moved to sit beside her.

"I did, actually," Emily replied back. "I wasn't going to let you float in the system until you aged out, and I also wanted to make sure you wouldn't become a target for whoever is doing this."

"If you say so, agent," Serenity said with a chuckle only to fall silent a moment later.

"What is it?"

"I wish we had a better meeting than earlier when I accused you of thing… and for stealing your gun," Serenity ended in a whisper.

"Well, we can have a better meeting tonight when we go back to my place and get you situated." Emily smiled when she received a nod and what looked like a small smile from the girl.

"_Is_ this going to be temporary?"

"Only as temporary as you want."


	3. Chapter 3

Life was full of unexpected surprises, even if Emily did this one unto herself.

Taking custody of an unknown teenager whose adoptive family had a criminal record was definitely not on her list of things to do that morning. Taking said teenager home was also not on that list, either. What _was_ on the list was to do more work on the current case, potentially locate the unsub, and hopefully finish the case. _That_ was how the day was supposed to go; smoothly and almost routinely.

Emily silently mused to herself at how her life was always full of complications and surprises, one way or another.

"Make yourself at home; what is mine is yours," the unit chief announced as she unlocked and opened the door to her apartment. She walked in and stepped aside, allowing Serenity in. Unconsciously, she held her breath as the girl tentatively stepped inside, only to take her shoes off before looking around the large open space. "You can keep your shoes on, I don't mind."

Serenity turned to her with a sheepish smile. "I've never been fond of having shoes inside the house. Who knows what you're bring in from out there, right?"

Emily chuckled and couldn't help but nod in agreement as she slipped off her own shoes and left them by Serenity's near the door. She closed the door and started to wave her arm around to every area of her home. "This is the living area with a great view of D.C., my kitchen and dining area, and the stairs that lead to two bedrooms upstairs."

"This isn't a loft?" The space's layout surprised the teenager.

"I opted for a two bedroom with the intent of making the second bedroom a study, but since I'm almost never here… it turned into a guest room," Emily simply explained. "There are takeout menus in a drawer in the kitchen island, so feel free to pick one and order dinner for us while I go change the sheets in your room."

Serenity reached out for her before she could leave. "Let me help you with the sheets; it's the least I could do for imposing on you like this."

The agent softly smiled and placed a hand over Serenity's that was on her arm. "You're not imposing because you are my guest. Come on, we can change the sheets together, then we can choose dinner. Sound good?"

Serenity nodded with a small smile on her face.

Together, they headed upstairs to the guest room which Emily presented. It was spacious with its own great view of D.C. from the floor to ceiling windows installed. There was a dresser, a simple wooden desk, and a door to what was expected to be the closet. Emily saw the girl place her duffel bag on the floor by the dresser and take in the sight before her.

"I may have also used this room as storage, so there are five sets of sheets and comforters in the closet behind you. You can choose which one you'd like to use while I toss these into the washer," she announced. She folded the blanket into a bundle and made her way to the washer down the hall. When she returned to the room, she found Serenity holding a package of burgundy sheets while a bag of a pale grey comforter sat by her feet.

Burgundy was a colour she had to keep in mind.

Together, they removed and folded the old sheets that Emily carried to the washer. As she made her way down the hall, she couldn't help but think that it would be an adjustment having another person in her home. Hopefully, it would be a good addition. What she suddenly hoped for was that she wasn't harbouring the potential unsub of the case.

"You forgot the pillow cases."

"_Whoa_!" she exclaimed in surprise when she heard Serenity's voice right behind her. She turned around and found the girl apologetically smiling at her while holding said pieces of fabric in the air. "Don't do that again, please."

"Sorry."

Emily took the pillow cases and tossed it with the sheets into the washer with the comforter. She turned back to the girl and tried to calm her racing heart.

Maybe this was a bad idea.

Bringing someone home without getting to know them… probably something she should have thought over.

Especially given the circumstances.

They returned to the room and replaced the sheets with the new ones. It took little time, although Emily did have to pause when a pillow flew at her and hit her head.

"_Sorry_, I thought you were looking when you asked for it," Serenity squeaked out.

Emily wasn't entirely sure how to take that statement, but she laughed it off and wrapped the case on the pillow. When they placed the comforter on the bed, she felt an odd sense of accomplishment. She turned to the girl and motioned to the dresser.

"It's yours to use." She earned a silent nod from the girl and watched her unpack the few belongings she had into the first two drawers of the dresser. "We'll have to go back and get the rest of your things soon."

"You're assuming I'm staying for the long-term, Agent Prentiss," Serenity joked as she left some things in her bag. There was a half-smile on her face, but it was rather a sad one. "I don't know if you'd be able to keep me if some estranged relative shows up and whisks me away."

Emily frowned and wasn't particularly happy with that thought.

"I guess you have uncles, aunts, or cousins who could take you in, huh?" she asked.

"None that actually want to have anything to do with us," Serenity answered. "I guess they knew about the dark business my family had and chose to stay away. Biologically, I tried looking for my relatives, but they weren't fond of me or the path my parents chose before they died, so the Robertson's were my only family," she continued. "There are times I wondered what it would be like to have a huge family dinner, but having mom, dad, and my siblings were more than enough."

Emily pulled the girl over to her and wrapped an arm around Serenity's shoulders. "I can't promise you a huge family dinner tonight, but I _can_ promise you a huge family dinner with the team, if you'd like."

There was a shy smile on Serenity's face. "I think I'd like that."

"Good, now let's go downstairs and go through the takeout menus," Emily said, squeezing Serenity's shoulder. "I'm sure you're hungry."

"Yeah, I am," Serenity replied back as she was being led back downstairs to the kitchen.

As Emily rifled through the drawer for the menus, she heard some rummaging coming from the direction of her refrigerator. She looked over her shoulder to find Serenity going through it with quite some intent. As soon as she saw the girl start to pull things out, she stopped looking for the menus and turned around to watch.

Serenity pulled out vegetables and placed them on the kitchen island beside her. Next, a small case of beef followed, and bottles that looked like they were meant to be mixed for a sauce. Amused, she allowed Serenity to do what she wanted.

"Do you have any noodles?" the entranced girl asked, closing the refrigerator door.

"Pantry is beside the fridge." Emily couldn't bite back the grin that crept on her face as Serenity truly made herself at home and easily navigated the space. She watched as the girl came back with a package of pasta, but stopped at the dining area to remove her blazer. She could see a small smile on Serenity's face as she came back with her sleeves rolled up and pasta in hand. "What are we making, chef?"

The title seemed to perk the girl up even more as she grinned and pulled out a cutting board from the side of the kitchen island. She was quite observant.

"How do you feel about noodles and stir fry for something quick and easy?" Serenity asked.

"Perfect!" Emily exclaimed, reaching for the case of beef. "Here, let me cut up the meat," she said, retrieving another cutting board.

"I can't believe you nearly had us have takeout when your fridge was still stocked," Serenity commented as she began chopping vegetables.

"I wasn't keen on cooking and I wasn't sure if you wanted to cook," Emily replied back, slicing some meat. She looked at the girl and saw how proficient she was with a knife. The thought of danger crossed her mind again. The thought must have shown on her face with how Serenity was looking at her.

"I love to cook since mom let me help her out in the kitchen since I was a child. Then, I was a little obsessed with The Food Network and seeing how professional chefs can work with knives and cook so quickly, and so well… I was enrolled into summer cooking classes. Next thing I knew, I was making dinner for the family almost every night, which I didn't mind. _They _minded because the grocery bill was a bit extravagant at times."

"I can only imagine how grand your holiday meals were," Emily said, finishing her bit of work. She heard a chuckle and looked up to see Serenity grinning.

"Holidays—no one was _allowed_ in my kitchen. Prep would start two nights before, so at least everyone could eat and not disturb my process before the holiday, but really no one was allowed in _my_ kitchen unless it was to grab a snack."

"Do you plan on going to culinary school after high school?"

Serenity stopped chopping and placed her knife on the cutting board. "I've thought about it, but it's more of a hobby than something I want to have a career in. I've thought a lot about possibly going to med school, but maybe the FBI might have a spot for me."

Emily chuckled and shook her head. "You need a degree to get into the FBI, so we can talk about that once you've got another school on hand."

"I've got a few places that I need to answer," Serenity replied.

"A _few_ sounds like a lie."

"Maybe more than a few," Serenity answered back.

Emily raised her brow and smirked. "Maybe we can get Spencer to help you pick a school since both of you have brilliant minds."

"Spencer?"

"Oh, Spencer Reid is the genius of the team and—I should really just invite the team over for dinner ASAP so you can meet them, shouldn't I?"

Serenity thoughtfully nodded. "Yes, yes, you should."

* * *

It was strange, but welcomed, to be sharing dinner with someone after a long day of work like this. She did have another person in mind, but who she was with at that moment mattered the most then and there. To Emily, now was the perfect time to know who she was sharing her food and home with.

"So, you must be quite the student at the academy if your principal was ready to come clawing at JJ and I for seeking you out," Emily said, eyeing the girl across from her. She saw Serenity pause mid-bite and raised a brow. "Serenity?"

"I would love to say Ms. Grant is all bark and no bite, but that would be a lie," Serenity replied back, slowly eating. Once she swallowed, she looked at Emily with a wry smile. "I should have been in university by now, but I chose to slow it down because I like the academy. Sticking around did allow me to experience high school life… and make the academy popular."

"Now, you've piqued my interest, Miss Song."

Serenity laughed and a content smile crept on her face. "I excel in my studies… and I excel in sports. I'm the captain of the basketball and volleyball varsity teams. I also run track," she explained.

Emily chuckled. "I'm supposing your great aim helped in the former of the two sports?" She saw the girl blush and nod. "And I doubt your principal would ever want to give you up."

"Many post-secondary institutions were calling her to take me away, but she refused all of them—with my knowledge. Ms. Grant and I are close—babysitting her son over the years does that," Serenity confessed before returning to stuff her face.

Emily smiled and began to eat. She had an interesting one at her table. Ms. Grant would be someone to talk to over time, if needed.

"Emily?"

"Yes?"

"The Robertson's aren't bad people, are they?" Serenity quietly asked, looking at her food.

"You would be the best judge of that, Serenity; you grew up with them."

"I only know a fraction of their lives," Serenity replied back.

Emily put down her cutlery and realized what was going on. "You're worried about what your brother said."

"He essentially confessed to his crimes and it seems like my mother and my sisters have, too. It always made me wonder why Leo and I had a 23-year age gap—why a family already established wanted to adopt me, but I guess I know why now."

"Finding out this way wasn't ideal, but did you ever feel like something was different about them? That something was up?" Emily asked, her profiler side unintentionally coming up.

"No, I always felt like I was part of their family. I felt like we were part of the status quo save for me being a prodigy. I never expected anything like this—robberies, crime—the FBI looking for them."

"Then, they truly changed for you, especially your father."

Serenity smiled. "Edward was always kind to me and treated me like I was truly his daughter. It never occurred to me _why_ he was acting that way. He always did favour me over Leo, but that could've been out of guilt."

"Favouritism is a difficult subject and I bet you know that, but he could have truly loved you for who you were. Needless to say, I think he would've been proud for what you did today and saving your brother."

"I have you to thank for bringing me along and not stopping me when I took your gun," Serenity mused.

Emily sighed and looked away. "I'm sure everyone will have words to say to me about my decisions today."

"Especially, Jennifer," Serenity muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" Emily asked, raising a brow. She swore she heard something about JJ.

"We should eat before the food gets cold."

The unit chief shook her head and picked up her cutlery.

Teenagers.


End file.
